Welcome to Hyperion Records, an independent British classical label devoted to presenting high-quality recordings of music of all styles and from all periods from the twelfth century to the twenty-first.

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Gruppe aus dem Tartarus, D396

Introduction

There is nothing wrong with the musical inspiration behind this first attempt to set Schiller's mighty poem, but it is easy to see why the composer loses heart: he is using up too much of the poem too quickly to place the final result on a canvas imposing enough for the song's subject. In the second version Schubert takes 23 bars to reach the point in the poem covered by only 14 here. The harmonic sequence, changing once in each bar, is effective, but it fails to plumb the depths of the Underworld. It is just possible that more of the song existed once and has been lost, but when we compare it with the second version we have every reason to suppose that Schubert knew he could do better.

Recordings

'This would have been a massive project for even the biggest international label, but from a small independent … it is a miracle. An ideal Christ ...'Please give me the complete Hyperion Schubert songs set – all 40 discs –and, in the next life, I promise I'll "re-gift" it to Schubert himself … ...» More

'The readings, with Johnson's piano at its probing best, are constantly enlightening and carry the absorbed listener into a rarefied world of word and ...'Many of the songs here, as on all the discs, are masterpieces, and wonder and gratitude are unabated' (CDReview)» More